Kiss Longer

This morning I was almost ready to head out the door for work when Nick said this.

You know how we always meet each other at the door and kiss each other when we leave and get back from work? Well, I have always wondered why it is so hard for some people to do that. I once was with my friend and his wife was leaving and he told her bye and she left. Granted they were been married a while, but I still asked him how hard it would have been to kiss her goodbye and walk her to the door. Even though they were married a while, I still hope that's something I never stop doing. 

This my friends, proves I have one of the best boyfriends EVER! I know I brag about him a lot, but he is something special! It reminded me of how important the small things are in life and relationships. It even ties back to my date nights post. Never stop looking forward to the small things; and never stop doing the small things that make you smile!

The Big D

No, I am not talking about Divorce or Dallas; I am talking about Deployment. I am in a fairly new (7 months) relationship with an AWESOME man who happens to be in the United States Air Force.

Yesterday I was grabbing my bags to head out of the office for the weekend when he wrote me and let me know his friend had just got back from deployment and he was eating dinner with him. There have been a few waves of his friends returning from deployment including his best friend (who will be home soon!) so I assumed his friend was in the first wave who got back a week or so ago. Turns out Nick and his friend waited on me to get home from work so I could eat dinner with them!

I walked into our apartment and met his friend for the first time. Little did I know as the night unfolded my eyes would be opened to so much. He stood up to shake my hand and after the initial introductions he said, "I just got back." I casually asked him when he got back and his answer was "today." I was floored; he hadn't even been to his barracks yet! He wanted to drive to dinner because it had been so long since he had driven over 15 MPH and wanted that freedom. So as we walked to his truck, he went ahead of Nick and myself so he could clear the back of his truck. When I opened the door he was shuffling things from my side to his side in order for me to have leg room. He didn't realize what all had been back there because, since he was deployed, he left his keys with his friend (as most do). I then realized he literally hadn't been in his car for over six months. Yet again, opening my eyes.

Over dinner I jumped into the conversation ever so often, but I mainly sat back and listened to him and Nick relive past events, talk about past deployments and his recent deployment. When we finished eating we headed back to base so he could relax so we let him be. As we were driving out of the barrack parking lot there were two men, one in uniform and one in civilian clothes, laughing and walking. Nick told me that the guy in civilian clothes had just got back that day also and that was his best friend walking with him.

As our fingers were intertwined and I was able to sit beside my boyfriend, my Airman, I realized just how lucky I was! I was able to touch, kiss and talk to my boyfriend face-to-face in the same room, the same state and the same country. Not too many people can say that and it is a sad fact. On our trip home I kept thinking about how I would feel if that was him coming back from deployment today and how it would feel if I had just seen him for the first time in six months. I am usually really good at treasuring the time we have together, but as we sat cuddled up drinking our wine and watching TV last night it made me realize I should squeeze his hand a little tighter and hold him a little longer.

So for those of you who have Military spouses, girlfriends, boyfriends or even for those who don't, please cherish the small things in life. Kiss a little more, hug each other everyday and have that dinner date ever so often. Embrace the moment because when it comes down to it, isn't that all we have?